Method and device for cleaning teeth

Abstract

The invention is directed to a method and a device for cleaning teeth wherein a variety of cleaning tools are coupled to a common handle section for the individual cleaning of teeth. It relates in particular to a handle section of an electric dental cleaning device, with a coupling section for coupling various cleaning tools thereto, as well as said cleaning tools. According to the invention the handle section detects a coding provided on the respective cleaning tool attached. In dependence upon the respective coding detected, various functions of the dental cleaning device are controlled.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An oral care device comprising
 a cleaning tool portion having a cleaning section in the vicinity of one end thereof; 
 a handle portion, with a driver assembly therein for driving the cleaning section, wherein the cleaning tool portion and the handle portion are adapted such that the cleaning tool portion is removably connectable to the handle portion; 
 communication means for data communication between the cleaning tool portion and the handle portion when the cleaning tool portion and handle portion are joined together; 
 a memory element in the cleaning tool portion for storing at least data that identifies the cleaning tool portion; 
 a microcontroller in the handle portion, wherein the memory element in the cleaning tool portion provides data therein to the microcontroller via the communication means; and means for displaying selected data related to the cleaning tool portion. 
 
     
     
       2. An oral care device of  claim 1 , further including a device for providing operating data to define particular operations of the cleaning tool portion. 
     
     
       3. An oral care device of  claim 1 , wherein the communication means includes electrically conductive elements. 
     
     
       4. An oral care device of  claim 1 , wherein the oral care device will not operate unless the data from the memory element is valid, as determined by the microcontroller. 
     
     
       5. An oral care device of  claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller includes means for evaluating the time of past uses of the cleaning tool portion. 
     
     
       6. An oral care device of  claim 1 , wherein the oral care device comprises a toothbrush and the cleaning tool portion comprises a brushhead portion. 
     
     
       7. An oral care device of  claim 1 , wherein the memory element stores data that indicates one or more operating parameters for use with the cleaning tool portion. 
     
     
       8. An oral care device of  claim 7 , wherein the operating parameters comprise cleaning frequency, cleaning speed, cleaning time, cleaning threshold value, driving motion, or range or value of application pressure of the cleaning section. 
     
     
       9. An oral care device comprising
 a cleaning tool portion having a cleaning section in the vicinity of one end thereof; 
 a handle portion, with a driver assembly therein for driving the cleaning section, wherein the cleaning tool portion and the handle portion are adapted such that the cleaning tool portion is removably connectable to the handle portion; 
 communication means for data communication between the cleaning tool portion and the handle portion when the cleaning tool portion and handle portion are joined together, wherein the communication means includes coils in the cleaning tool portion and the handle for inductive communication; 
 a memory element in the cleaning tool portion for storing at least data that identifies the cleaning tool portion; and 
 a microcontroller in the handle portion, wherein the memory element in the cleaning tool portion provides data therein to the microcontroller via the communication means. 
 
     
     
       10. An oral care device of  claim 9 , wherein the microcontroller in operation accumulates data concerning use of the cleaning tool portion, and wherein the oral care device includes means for reading data in the memory element in the cleaning tool portion to the microcontroller. 
     
     
       11. An oral care device of  claim 9 , wherein the data is used to monitor use of the oral care device. 
     
     
       12. An oral care device of  claim 9 , wherein the oral care device will not operate unless the data from the memory element is valid, as determined by the microcontroller. 
     
     
       13. An oral care device of  claim 9 , wherein the microcontroller includes means for evaluating the time of past uses of the cleaning tool portion. 
     
     
       14. An oral care device of  claim 9 , wherein the oral care device comprises a toothbrush and the cleaning tool portion comprises a brushhead portion. 
     
     
       15. An oral care device of  claim 9 , wherein the cleaning tool portion comprises a bristle section, an interproximal cleaning section, a gum massager section, or a tongue cleaning section. 
     
     
       16. An oral care device of  claim 9 , wherein the memory element stores data that indicates one or more operating parameters for use with the cleaning tool portion. 
     
     
       17. An oral care device of  claim 16 , wherein the operating parameters comprise cleaning frequency, cleaning speed, cleaning time, cleaning threshold value, driving motion, or range or value of application pressure of the cleaning section. 
     
     
       18. An oral care device of  claim 16 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to store a user profile defining at least one of the operating parameters. 
     
     
       19. An oral care device of  claim 16 , wherein the microcontroller uses the data from the cleaning tool portion to adapt one or more operating parameters of the oral care device. 
     
     
       20. A cleaning tool portion of an oral care device, the oral care device including a handle portion to which the cleaning tool portion can be removably joined, the cleaning tool portion comprising:
 cleaning section in the vicinity of one end of the cleaning tool portion; 
 a radio signal transmitting and receiving means in the cleaning tool portion that provides data communication with a corresponding radio signal transmitting and receiving means in a handle portion; and 
 a memory element in the cleaning tool portion for storing data identifying the cleaning tool portion. 
 
     
     
       21. A cleaning tool portion of  claim 20 , wherein the oral care device is a toothbrush and the cleaning tool portion comprises a brushhead portion. 
     
     
       22. A cleaning tool portion of  claim 20 , wherein the cleaning tool portion comprises a bristle section, an interproximal cleaning section, a gum massager section, or a tongue cleaning section. 
     
     
       23. A cleaning tool portion of  claim 20 , wherein the memory element stores data that indicates one or more operating parameters for use with the cleaning tool portion. 
     
     
       24. A cleaning tool portion of  claim 23 , wherein the operating parameters comprise cleaning frequency, cleaning speed, cleaning time, cleaning threshold value, driving motion, or range or value of application pressure of the cleaning section. 
     
     
       25. A cleaning tool portion of an oral care device, the Oral care device including a handle portion to which the cleaning tool portion can be removably joined, the cleaning tool portion comprising:
 a cleaning section in the vicinity of one end of the cleaning tool portion; 
 communication means for data communication between the cleaning tool portion and a handle portion, wherein the communication means includes a coil in the cleaning tool portion for inductive communication with a coil in a handle portion; and 
 a memory element in the cleaning tool portion for storing data identifying the cleaning tool portion. 
 
     
     
       26. A cleaning tool portion of  claim 25 , wherein the oral care device is a toothbrush and the cleaning tool portion comprises a brushhead portion. 
     
     
       27. A cleaning tool portion of  claim 25 , wherein the cleaning tool portion comprises a bristle section, an interproximal cleaning section, a gum massager section, or a tongue cleaning section. 
     
     
       28. A cleaning tool portion of  claim 25 , wherein the memory element further stores data that indicates one or more operating parameters for use with the cleaning tool portion. 
     
     
       29. A cleaning tool portion of  claim 28 , wherein the operating parameters comprise cleaning frequency, cleaning speed, cleaning time, cleaning threshold value, driving motion, or range or value of application pressure of the cleaning section. 
     
     
       30. An oral care device, comprising:
 a cleaning tool portion having a cleaning section in the vicinity of one end thereof; 
 a handle portion, with a driver assembly therein for driving the cleaning section, wherein the cleaning tool portion and the handle portion are adapted such that the cleaning tool portion is removably connectable to the handle portion; 
 communication means for data communication between the cleaning tool portion and the handle portion when the cleaning tool portion and handle portion are joined together, wherein the communications means comprises a radio signal transmitting and receiving means in the cleaning tool portion and a corresponding radio signal transmitting and receiving means in the handle portion; 
 a memory element in the cleaning tool portion for storing at least data that identifies the cleaning tool portion; and 
 a microcontroller in the handle portion, wherein the memory element in the cleaning tool portion provides data therein to the microcontroller via the communication means. 
 
     
     
       31. A cleaning tool portion of an oral care device, the oral care device including a handle portion to which the cleaning tool portion can be removably joined, the cleaning tool portion comprising:
 a cleaning section in the vicinity of one end of the cleaning tool portion; 
 communication means for data communication between the cleaning tool portion and a handle portion, wherein the communications means comprises a radio signal transmitting and receiving means in the cleaning tool portion that operates with a corresponding radio signal transmitting and receiving means in a handle portion; and 
 a memory element in the cleaning tool portion for storing data identifying the cleaning tool portion. 
 
     
     
       32. An oral care device comprising:
 a cleaning tool portion having a cleaning section in the vicinity of one end thereof; 
 a handle portion, with a driver assembly therein for driving the cleaning section, wherein the cleaning tool portion and the hand 1 e portion are adapted such that the cleaning tool portion is removably connectable to the handle portion; 
 a radio signal transmitter and receiver in the cleaning tool portion that exchanges radio signals with a corresponding radio signal transmitter and receiver in the handle portion; 
 a coding device in the cleaning tool portion for storing at least data that identifies the cleaning tool portion; and 
 an electronic control device in the handle portion, wherein the coding device in the cleaning tool portion provides data therein to the electronic control device via radio signals. 
 
     
     
       33. An oral care device of  claim 32 , wherein the electronic control device is configured to evaluate the time of past uses of the cleaning tool portion. 
     
     
       34. An oral care device of  claim 32 , wherein the coding device further stores data that indicates one or more operating parameters for use with the cleaning tool portion. 
     
     
       35. An oral care device of  claim 34 , wherein the operating parameters comprise cleaning frequency, cleaning speed, cleaning time, cleaning threshold value, driving motion, or range or value of application pressure of the cleaning section. 
     
     
       36. An oral care device, comprising
 a cleaning tool portion having a cleaning section in the vicinity of one end thereof; 
 a handle portion, with a driver assembly therein for driving the cleaning section, wherein the cleaning tool portion and the handle portion are adapted such that the cleaning tool portion is removably connectable to the handle portion; 
 a transponder and coil in the cleaning tool portion and a detector and coil in the handle for inductive communication; 
 a coding device in the cleaning tool portion for storing at least data that identifies the cleaning tool portion; and 
 an electronic control device in the handle portion, wherein the coding device in the cleaning tool portion provides data therein to the electronic control device via inductive communication. 
 
     
     
       37. An oral care device of  claim 36 , wherein the coding device further stores data that indicates one or more operating parameters for use with the cleaning tool portion. 
     
     
       38. An oral care device of  claim 37 , wherein the operating parameters comprise cleaning frequency, cleaning speed, cleaning time, cleaning threshold value, driving motion, or range or value of application pressure of the cleaning section. 
     
     
       39. A cleaning tool portion of an oral care device, the oral care device including a handle portion to which the cleaning tool portion can be removably joined, the cleaning tool portion comprising:
 a cleaning section in the vicinity of one end of the cleaning tool portion; 
 a radio signal transmitter and receiver that exchanges radio signals with a corresponding radio signal transmitter and receiver in a handle portion; and 
 a coding device for storing data identifying the cleaning tool portion. 
 
     
     
       40. A cleaning tool portion of  claim 39 , wherein the coding device further stores data that indicates one or more operating parameters for use with the cleaning tool portion. 
     
     
       41. A cleaning tool portion of  claim 40 , wherein the operating parameters comprise cleaning frequency, cleaning speed, cleaning time, cleaning threshold value, driving motion, or range or value of application pressure of the cleaning section. 
     
     
       42. A cleaning tool portion of an oral care device, the oral care device including a handle portion to which the cleaning tool portion can be removably joined, the cleaning tool portion comprising:
 a cleaning section in the vicinity of one end of the cleaning tool portion; 
 a transponder and coil for inductive communication with a detector and coil in a handle portion; and 
 a coding device for storing data identifying the cleaning tool portion. 
 
     
     
       43. A cleaning tool portion of  claim 42 , wherein the coding device further stores data that indicates one or more operating parameters for use with the cleaning tool portion. 
     
     
       44. A cleaning tool portion of  claim 43 , wherein the operating parameters comprise cleaning frequency, cleaning speed, cleaning time, cleaning threshold value, driving motion, or range or value of application pressure of the cleaning section.